One of my favorite things about homesteading is having fresh milk every day, but that milk adds up QUICK, and cheese is a great way to use up that milk, get some delicious fresh cheese, and enjoy a great byproduct as well, whey.
Why I Love this Recipe
Making different types of cheese can be a complicated and time-intensive process involving ingredients like rennet, starter cultures, and calcium chloride that most folks just don’t normally have laying around their house.
This oftentimes leaves the beginner homesteader putting off cheesemaking, but getting started is so much easier than you might think!
Using milk from our goats and homemade apple cider vinegar I made with apples from our orchard, this recipe is the perfect way to learn the basics of cheesemaking and simultaneously made sure nothing on my homestead went to waste.
While it’s a delicious snack all on its own, I especially enjoy using this cheese when making pizza in my wood-fired oven.
Is Making Cheese Hard?
No! Making cheese is incredibly easy, at least it is for this easy two-ingredient cheese I’m sharing today. There are certainly other recipes that are much more detailed, take many more supplies and ingredients, and have more cheese-making know-how, but this recipe is quite simple.
Strain the Curds
Using a strainer, collect the solid curd out of the remaining liquid (whey).
Depending on the consistency you prefer your cheese, transfer the curds to cheesecloth to hang and allow the maximum moisture to drain, or simply leave the curds in the strainer and set the strainer over a bowl to drain for at least 30 minutes.
Whey
The remaining liquid byproduct is known as whey and has a myriad of uses around the farm. You can use it as a liquid substitute in baking, add it to smoothies and soups, or feed it to your pets.
I share my favorite recipes using whey in my Homesteader’s Guide to Milk - Digital Course, where you will also learn how to make homemade yogurt, mozzarella, hot pudding, custard ice cream, and butter complete with troubleshooting tips, meal prep advice, and more!
